One of the Bills’ biggest strengths became a weakness at the worst possible time plus other takeaways from the loss vs. Falcons
Buffalo falls to the Atlanta Falcons in an ugly showing on all three phases of the football.
The Buffalo Bills lost to the Atlanta Falcons in a game that had shades of the drought years. It felt that way not because of the specific players on the field, but because of the outcome and how the team got there.
Penalties, missed tackles, and the offense sputtering throughout the contest ultimately saw Buffalo fall twice in two games, with the Bye week up next. A tough loss for the Bills, which the team will have to sit with for some additional time.
In the game, one of the team’s biggest strengths was quarterback Josh Allen and the offense throughout the season. In the loss against the Falcons, the offense disappeared in the matchup, with plenty of opportunities handed to them by the defense.
The everybody eats mantra felt like everybody starves during the game, with no one able to really break anything open on the offense. Allen finished his day with multiple interceptions while going 15-for-26 for 180 yards and two touchdowns. In a game where Buffalo was hoping to make a statement, the team made the wrong one in the loss.
Defense struggled in the first half
The defense started poorly for the Bills, with running back Bijan Robinson and receiver Drake London wreaking havoc across the entire football field. Missed tackles and penalties didn’t help, the former allowing Robinson to trot his way down the field for more than a 70-yard touchdown.
It wasn’t all bad news from the Bills’ defense, as they made plenty of stops in the second half. Rookie defensive tackle Deone Walker deserves his flowers for the performance; he was one of the lone bright spots for the team, which just couldn’t get anything going on either side of the football.
Robinson finished with 170 yards on 19 carries with a touchdown, while London finished with 10 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown. Even with the team without receiver Darnell Mooney, quarterback Michael Penix Jr. found his weapons early and often in the contest.
Not good, complimentary football
Penalties also crushed the Buffalo Bills at times in the game. Robinson fumbled the ball, penalty. Bills get a good gain on offense, penalty. The team, once again, had some self-inflicted wounds that will need to be addressed quickly. With the loss, Buffalo falls to second place in the AFC East, behind the New England Patriots.
Buffalo had eight penalties for 64 yards in the matchup and allowed the Falcons to have 443 yards of total offense. Pair that with the Bills not being able to find the end zone, only scoring 14 points in the matchup, and it made for the perfect storm in the team’s loss.
Buffalo will enter the Bye week searching for answers, particularly on offense, after back-to-back losses that have exposed cracks in all three phases. The extra week couldn’t come at a better time for a team that suddenly has more questions than momentum.
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